Heating and cooling backing pan



July 28, 1953 A. H. JUNG HEATING AND COOLING BACKING PAN s Sheets-Sheet1 Filed Sept. 14, 1949 ATTORNEYS y 28, 1953 A. H, JUNG 4 ,601

HEATING AND COOLING BACKING PAN Filed Sept. 14, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2ATTORN EYS July 28, 1953 A. H. JUNG HEATING AND COOLING BACKING PAN .3Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 14, 1949 INVENTOR I u werZHLJLug BY PawPatented July 28, 1953 2,646,601 HEATING AND COOLING BACKING PAN AlbertH. Jung, Flushing, N. Y., assignor to United American MetalsCorporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationSeptember 14, 1949, Serial No. 115,759

1 Claim.

1 This invention relates to the backing of electrotypes and moreparticularly to the heating and cooling of backing pans used in suchapparatus.

The apparatus comprising this invention is used for backing-upelectrolytically produced printing faces used for printing type-matter,i1-

lustrations and the like. These faces, the result of the electrotypeprocess, are metallic shells,

copper being generally used, which on account of their limited thicknessrequire strengthenin to render them available for use in printing. Thisis done by what is called backing-up and consists of providing theseshells with a, back formed of a suitable alloy or so-called type metal.

The usual procedure for forming this backing is by placing the metalshells face down upon the bottom of a flat pan, known as a backin pan,after which the metal to be used for backing them is poured into the panin a molten condition. The pans are of a depth to permit them to receivesufficient of this metal to cause the formation of a backing of .properthickness,

this thickness being approximately oneefourth of an inch more Or less.

The connection between the shell and this metal whereby it is backed, issubstantially a soldered connection,

formed in a manner analogous to a soldered joint wherein the backs ofthe shells are first tinned. The backed-up shells after being cooled areremoved from the pans, planed off and leveled, trimmed around theiredges and mounted upon wooden bases and are then ready for use in theprinting press.

The subject of this invention concerns an apparatus used for backing-upelectrotype shells in the manner outlined, with special provision"workman to locate the shrunken area. The

plate is then turned over, with its face resting on and against thesurface of a smooth, level steel plate, and with a hammer, blows arestruck on the back of the plate until the surface of the plate has beenforced outward and is in 1 contact with the surface of the steel plate.-T Operation quires easel-enable skill an dexterity as too muchhammering will cause the surface of the printing plate to becomebattered or flattened and if the blows are too heavy, individual spotscorresponding to each blow will appear in the surface of the printingplate, which will result in heavy and light spots on the printed sheetreproduced from the plate.

The objects of the present invention ar to obviate the necessity forthis finishing operation of the printing surfaceof the plate, reduce theheat 'in the vicinity of the backing pans and permit a uniform heatingand cooling of the backing pans to maintain shrinkage at a minimum. l

The invention consists of an appa atus, constructed as hereinafterdescribed and pointed out in the claim, and as illustrated in meat:-companying two sheets of drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective View of the apparatus partly broken away;

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged cross-section of, the apparatus along line2- -2of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged cross-section partly broken away of theapparatus along line 33 of Fig. 1. 3; I

Fig. 4 shows a fragmentary top plan view of the backing pan with arrowsindicating a condition of heating and cooling.

Fig. 5 shows a fragmentary vertical section of two burner tips and thebacking plate, somewhat enlarged.

Fig. 6 shows an enlarged cross-section of a fragment of a secondembodiment of the apparatus, according to th'm invention.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the heating and coolingelement shown in. Fig. 6-

Fig- 8 is a somewhat diagrammatic fragmentary plan view of the heatingand cooling element shown in Figs. 6 and 7. I

Referring to the drawings, the backing pans in, II and I2 are referablymade of metal and are supported on a'frame l3, resting on a Stand 32. Aplurality of pipes i5 are uniformly laterally arranged in the combustionchamber 14 below the backin pans, each pipe extending from the fron fthe backing pans to the rear where the pi es are closed. At the front,the pipes are each bent downward, and are each provided with a valve l 6and an inspirator 33. The pipes 15 under the backing pans l0, H and 12are each connected to a manifold H, l8 and 19, respectively. Each of themanifolds I1, l8 and 19 has welded ends and is connected to both a pipe20 connected to .a heating gas supply and to a pipe connectedto a c olng fluid or air supplymetal or discontinue such flow.

Valves 22, 23 and 24 control the flow of fluid from pipe 20 to themanifolds l1, l8 and I9, respectively. Valves 25, 26 and 21 control theflow of fluid from pipe 2| to the manifolds l1, l8 and [9, respectively.A check valve 28 is provided in the pipe 20 to prevent back pressure offluid from line 21 into the line 20 during the cooling process. Eachpipe l5 extending beneath the backing pans is provided with a pluralityof uniformly spaced screened burner tips 29.

A T-bar 30 extending parallel to the pipes I5 is provided between eachpipe l5, with its flat side up. The fluids leaving the burner tips 29flow rearwardly in the combustion chamber l4 above the T-bars 30 andbelow the backing pans to the rear wall of the frame l3 which isprovided with a plurality of exhaust ports 3| leading to an exhaustmanifold 34 at the rear of the unit. The combustion gases pass from themanifold 34 to an exhaust pipe 35 through a connection 35. Thecombustion chamber 44 beneath each backing pan is efficiently insulated.

Extending upwardly and behind the unit described above, is a furnace 31in which the backing metal is melted and maintained at the desiredtemperature. The furnace forms no part of the instant invention and maygenerally comprise a melting pot'and heating means of any type such as agas burner, coal burner or electrical resistance element. The furnace isprovided near the bottom with a spout 38 through which the molten metalflows. The flow through the spout is controlled by a primary valvecontrol 39 and an auxiliary valve 40. The molten metal flows from thespout into a pivoted casting trough 4! from which it is directed to eachof the backing pans asdesired. The trough 4i is pivoted about pivot 42and is arranged to be swung in a generally horizontal plane. Close tothe discharge end of the trough 4! is a pivotally mounted gate 44 shapedto correspond to the cross section of the trough, so that it may beswung into open and closed position by raising or lowering the handle 43to effect flow of molten The apparatus is used in the following manner:The shells may be produced by being deposited in a bath in any of theways usually employed in electrotyping. Upon removal from the bath, theshells are released from the molds and thoroughly cleaned, preparatoryto the casting operations. This cleaning may be efiected by any of themethods or means well knownin the electrotypers art. The electrotypeshells are placed face down on the backing pans and are covered in theusual way with a thin sheet of solder,'consisting preferably of tinfoil. The backs of the shells are first subjected to treatment by acidor soldering fluid. Sufiicient heat is then applied to bring the tin tothe melting point so as to cover the back of the shells. Thisapplication of heat is accomplished by burning gas in the uniformlyspaced burner tips 29. The gas is supplied through pipe 20, valves 22,23

and 24, manifolds I1, [8 and 19, valves IS, in-

spirators 33 pipes l and the burner tips 29. The valves 25, 26 and 21are closed during the period of heating up the backing pans. As soon asthe foil has melted, the burners are turned off by closing the valves22, 23 and 24. The molten backing metal 45 is then poured into thebacking pans. As soon as the metal is cast, valves 25, 26 and 21 areopened and the cooling means, such as compressed air, is forced throughthe same set of burner ports which. 1 9W am a a jets (see Fig. 5). Theflow of air is from pipe 21, through valves 25, 26 and 21, manifolds l1,l8 and 19, valves l6, inspirators 33, pipes l5 and the burner tips 29.

The result of cooling the plate directly on the same spots where thejets of flame impinged during heating allows for localized contractionof the plate in each area that was previously heated, producing a platewith a minimum of uniform overall shrinkage.

The arrangement described permits of uniform heating and uniformcooling, with instant change-over from heating to cooling. Due to thebalanced expansion and contraction in the course of heating and cooling,this arrangement casts relatively non-shrinking plates and alsoincreases the life of the backing pans. The apparatus is so insulatedand enclosed that practically no heat or fumes pass beyond theirenclosure, thus resulting in a substantial saving of fuel and alsoaffording greatly improved working conditions for the operators.

As shown by the arrows in the left hand fragment of Figure 4, during theheating cycle each small burner area will expand evenly, giving auniform over-all expansion to the plate. During the cooling cycle, shownby the arrows to the right in Figure 4, the shrinkage of each small areawill be offset by that of adjacent areas, and result in a negligibleamount of casting distortion. Moreover, the casting will freeze firstalong its edges, thereby reducing shrinkage.

A second embodiment of a backing pan heating and cooling device is shownin Figures 6, '7, and 8. In this form of the invention the gas issupplied to the burners 29 from a general gas chamber fed through theport 5!. The burners 29 are threaded into the upper wall 46 of the gaschamber 45, as shown in Figure 6. A general air chamber 41 is providedimmediately above the gas chamber 45. Air is fed into the air chamber 41through the port 48. The amount of air entering the chamber 41 may becontrolled by an air solenoid valve (not shown). Openings 49 areprovided in the upper wall 50 of the air chamber 41. These openings 49are of suflicient diameter to allow the burners 29 to extendtherethrough with a suitable clearance between the burners 29 and theperiphery of the said openings 49, as shown in Figures 6 and *1, toallow for the passage of air to the underside of the pans Id.

The second embodiment of the present invention enables air and gas to beused. simultaneously or alternately, as desired. The air supply is thusnot limited by the size of the burner openings, so that cooling may beaccelerated. Moreover, the cooling air may be used during the heatingcycle of operation to supply secondary air to the burners 29 when theyare lighted.

Since the frames is of the backing pans l0 absorb heat rapidly, coolingis accelerated at the corners of the pans. The use of a single generalgas chamber 49 permits of a location of the burners 29 and air jets inthe most'advantageous pattern, such as is shown in Figure '1, instead ofthe arrangement made necessary by the parallel pipes disclosed above,thereby equalizing the heating and cooling over the entire pan.

While the use of gas burners for; heating the backing pans has beendescribed herein, it is withinthepurview of this invention to use other5 etc, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

An apparatus for backing electro-type shells comprising, a backing pan,a source of heating fluid, heat generating means connected to the saidheating fluid source, consisting of a general gas chamber and a,plurality of gas burners carried by the upper wall of the gas chamberand communicating with the interior of said gas chambers, said burnersextending upwardly from the upper wall and disposed so as to apply theheat coming therefrom to specific areas of the backing pan, a source ofcooling fluid, cooling means connected to said cooling fluid sourcecomprising, an air chamber overlying the gas chamber, said air chamberhaving an upper plate provided with a plurality of openings therein,each of said openings being of sufficient size and disposition to allowthe burners to extend therethrough with a suitable clearance between thewall of the opening and the said burner to allow the cooling fluid to bedirected at the specific areas of the backing pans toward which theburners are disposed, and controls associated with the source of heatingand cooling fluid to regulate their passage into the apparatus.

ALBERT H. JUNG.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 397,593 Hassman Feb. 12;: 1889 821,845 Albert May 29,1906

1,073,105 Dunton Sept. 16, 1913 1,125,671 Dunton Jan. 19, 1915 1,164,078Dunton Dec. 14,- 1915 1,199,429 Roth Sept. 26,- 1916 1,219,289 GounleyMar. 13, 1917 2,177,168 Van Bolt Oct. 251, 1939 2,182,114 Bungay Dec.5,"1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 445,425 Great Britain Apr.8, 1936

